Integrated semiconductor devices are typically constructed en masse on a wafer of silicon or gallium arsenide. Each device generally takes the form of an integrated circuit (IC) die, which is attached to a leadframe with gold wires. The die and leadframe are then encapsulated in a plastic or ceramic package, which is then recognizable as an IC (integrated circuit). ICs come in a variety of forms such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) ICs, static random access memory (SRAM) ICs, read only memory (ROM) ICs, gate arrays, and so forth. The ICs are interconnected in myriad combinations on printed circuit boards by a number of techniques, such as socketing and soldering.
Interconnections among ICs arrayed on printed circuit boards are typically made by conductive traces formed by photolithography and etching processes.
Such semiconductor devices typically take the form of a semiconductor die. The die is generally electrically attached to a leadframe within a package. The leadframe physically supports the die and provides electrical connections between the die and the outside world. As shown in FIG. 1, the die 11 is generally electrically attached to the leadframe by means of fine gold wires 15. These fine gold wires 15 function to connect the die to the leadframe, so that the gold wires 15 are electrically in series with the leadframe leads. The leadframe and die is then encapsulated, in the form of the familiar integrated circuit. The packaged chip is then able to be installed on a circuit board by any number of techniques, such as socketing and soldering. While a ceramic style package is shown in FIG. 1 for clarity, most chips are encapsulated in plastic packages.
One circuit-board mounted semiconductor chip array that is of particular interest is the SIMM (single in line memory module). SIMM boards are typically constructed with such capacitors, which are usually located beneath or adjacent memory array circuit chips on the SIMM.
SIMM (single in line memory module) boards are circuit arrays which consist of byte multiples of memory chips arranged on a printed circuit board or comparable mounting arrangement. The SIMM board is connected to a circuit control board by an edge connector. FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a typical SIMM board.
The SIMM is a highly space-efficient memory board having no on-board address circuitry and which is designed to plug directly into the address, data and power supply busses of a computer so that the randomly-addressable memory cells of the SIMM can be addressed directly by the computer's CPU rather than by a bank-switching technique commonly used in larger memory expansion boards. Memory cells on the SIMM are perceived by the computer's CPU as being no different than memory cells found on the computer's mother board. Since SIMMs are typically populated with byte multiples of DRAMs, for any eight bit byte or sixteen bit byte or word of information stored within a SIMM, each of the component bits will be found on a separate chip and will be individually addressable by column and row. One edge of a SIMM module is a card-edge connector, which plugs into a socket on the computer which is directly connected to the computer busses required for powering and addressing the memory on the SIMM.
Single in-line packages (SIPs) are similar in design to SIMMs, except that instead of having a card edge-type connector, SIPs have pins which are either socket mounted or solder mounted to a mother board or bus.
These modules have been constructed by first packaging individual dice (IC chips) into packages, and then soldering the packaged chips onto a printed circuit board. The chips had been attached by surface mount techniques (e.g. PLCC chips) or into through holes (e.g. DIP packaged chips). While this facilitates discrete testing prior to module assembly, no advantage is taken of the module (SIMM) level assembly in connecting the dice to their leadframes.
Other circuits which are constructed from standard components have in the past used discretely encapsulated integrated circuits (ICs) which are then fixed to a printed circuit board. Large scale integrated (LSI) circuits had been used to reduce or eliminate multiplicity of encapsulation operations, but LSI techniques require that each mask step required for each part of the circuit be performed on a wafer used to form the entire circuit.
On circuits with low yields, it is often desirable to fabricate the circuit in segments, and then assemble the completed segments at a board level. Thus, DRAMs are fabricated in excess of 100 dice per wafer, and the dice are separated, even though the computer may have a high number of DRAMs installed as RAM memory. This is done because individual chips will vary in performance across a wafer and because yield tends to diminish as attempts are made to expand memory size. By individually packaging chips and then assembling arrays of chips at a board level, parts may be segregated according to performance and the use of failed parts may be avoided.
When increasing the circuitry on a single integrated circuit, care must be taken to ascertain that the processes which are used to fabricate each circuit element are compatible. Even in cases where, for example, state of the art DRAM technology is used in design of logic chips, the optimum process parameters for different types of circuits will vary. As an example, it is difficult to provide a single chip with both a microprocessor and a memory array.
Thus, a VLSI chip has the advantage of packaging a large number of circuits onto a single leadframe, but requires that a variety of circuits share the same process steps. It would be desirable to provide multiple circuits which are grouped after fabrication into a single integrated circuit package. It would also be desirable to provide circuits which are manufactured under different process steps as a single integrated circuit package.